


The Tradition: Year 4

by elizaye



Series: FWB!verse [20]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Arguing, F/M, Homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-19
Updated: 2012-12-19
Packaged: 2017-11-21 13:42:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/598395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elizaye/pseuds/elizaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean has a pointless argument with Anna.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Tradition: Year 4

“I _did_ appreciate it,” Castiel says defensively as they walk down the hallway.  “I’m just saying that it wasn’t quite as good as _No Country for Old Men_.”

“Mm, I see what you’re saying,” Jess says.  “Did you notice?  There wasn’t even _one_ important female role in that film.”

“I don’t think they were exactly going for women’s rights or anything,” Anna says.

“No, but that doesn’t excuse excluding us entirely,” Jess counters, and Anna nods her concession.

“Well, I think it was just as good,” Dean says.  “I’d say it was better, but then again, you can’t go wrong with Tommy Lee Jones, so…”

“You just like him because he was in that movie with the aliens,” Castiel says, and Dean gawks at him.

“Dude.  _Please_ tell me you haven’t forgotten the name of it.”

Castiel shrugs.  “The movie was not particularly memorable to me.”

Dean sighs and looks at the others.  “Someone tell Cas that he’s wrong, and _Men in Black_ is amazing.”

“You’re wrong, and _Men in Black_ is amazing,” Jess says.

“You’re not supposed to do as he says,” Sam immediately chides, but Jess and Dean are too busy high-fiving to respond.

Honestly, Castiel understands that people like _Men in Black_ , as well as its sequel, but he just isn’t particularly interested in extraterrestrial movies, and _Alien_ remains the only one that he enjoys.

“I thought Daniel Day-Lewis was beautiful in this one,” Anna comments, bringing the conversation back to the movie they just watched.

“Hmm.  I wouldn’t have thought that,” Dean says in response, and Anna laughs.

“Of course not, idiot.  You’re not gay.”

Dean glances at Castiel and asks, “Cas, what do you think?”

Castiel shrugs.  “Not my type.  Besides, I watch movies for content, not for the lead actors.”

“Well, it doesn’t hurt when the lead is gorgeous,” Anna says, smiling.

Castiel pushes open one of the glass doors and walks out of the theater, holding it open for his friends to exit.  Jess laughs and thanks him, and Anna calls him a gentleman, and Dean, the last one through after Sam, flashes a smile in his direction.

“Hey, Winchester!” an unfamiliar voice calls, and Castiel watches as both Sam and Dean jerk around toward the source of the voice.

Dean breaks into a grin.  “Gordon, hey,” he says, heading in that direction.  Castiel turns and sees a dark-skinned male who looks about their age.  His eyes are dark, but he’s smiling amiably enough at Dean.

“So, who’re your friends?” Gordon asks, coming toward the group.

“God, you’re gonna make me introduce everyone?” Dean complains, and Gordon just nods expectantly.  “Okay, then.  Gordon, meet Sam, Jess, Cas, and Anna.”

“S’nice to meet you,” Gordon says, smiling.  “Did you just finish a movie?”

“Yeah.  _There Will Be Blood_ ,” Dean says.

Gordon nods.  “I’m about to see that.  Good?”

“Oh, it’s great,” Jess says.

“Daniel Day Lewis is gorgeous,” Anna adds.

“Not Cas’s type though, apparently,” Sam says, grinning.

Gordon’s eyes flash to Castiel briefly, and Castiel typically avoids making hasty judgments, but he instantly doesn’t like the look on Gordon’s face.  After the implication that Castiel is gay, Gordon looks at him like he’s dangerous, like homosexuality is deadly, and it’s catching.

“Is he _your_ type?” Gordon asks, eyes returning to Sam and making him splutter.

“Oh, yes,” Jess teases, linking an arm with Sam.  “He already liked Dan before the movie, but now I’m sure he’s in love.”  Sam rolls his eyes but says nothing.

Gordon opens his mouth to respond, but his phone goes off, interrupting him.  He pulls it out.  “Oh, that’s my sister—she’s meeting me here.  I’ll catch you later, Dean.”

“Yeah, see you.”

Gordon brings the phone to his ear and walks away.

Castiel watches him walk a short way before following the others into the parking lot.  “I don’t like the look of that guy,” Anna’s saying as he catches up.  “How do you know him, Dean?”

“He’s in my Mech E class this semester.  And Gordon’s a bit rough around the edges, but he’s a good guy,” Dean answers.

Castiel doubts this, but he says nothing.

Anna, however, doesn’t remain silent.  “A good guy?  I don’t know about that,” she says, and Dean frowns at her.

“More importantly, why did he think _I_ was gay?” Sam says.

“‘Cause I’m so obviously out of your league that people assume you’re my gay best friend when we’re seen together,” Jess says.

Sam scoffs, and Castiel chuckles, expecting Dean to jump in on the teasing.  But he’s looking at Anna instead, frown still very much in place.

“Anna, if you’ve got a problem with me, tell me.  Don’t take it out on my friends.”

“What?  I’m not,” Anna protests.

“Oh, you’re not?  So this is about Gordon, and not about the fact that I chose not to go to California with you over winter break?”

“Dean, stop,” Castiel says.

“It’s not about that at all,” Anna says, and she’s glaring at him now.  “I don’t hold grudges like that, unlike _some_ people.”

“Okay, fine.  What’s your problem with Gordon, then, if you’re fine with me?”

“You really wanna know?”

Dean shakes his head and comes to a stop by the driver’s side of the Impala.  “Anna, you’ve known him for about five friggin’ seconds.  What can you possibly—”

“He’s a homophobe!” Anna blurts out.

“What?  No, he isn’t.”

“Dean, the doors?” Sam prods.

“Yes, he is,” Anna says heatedly.  “I don’t know if you’re blind or what, but did you _see_ the way he looked at Cas?”

“How?  _How_ did he look at Cas?”

“Dean, we’re in public,” Sam says.  “Open the damn doors.”

Dean turns his eyes to Castiel, who quickly avoids eye contact.  The last thing he wants is to be dragged into the middle of a fight between Dean and Anna.  He’s never liked watching friends fight—the rough patch between Anna and Lisa about Lisa’s pregnancy had been decidedly unpleasant for him.

“Cas—” Dean starts.

“Dean, the _doors_ ,” Sam insists, frustrated.

Dean opens the door and ducks into the car, and by the time everyone else has gotten inside, the engine’s already started.  The drive out of the parking lot is silent.

“So uh, are we still doing dinner?” Sam asks.

“I actually have an early start tomorrow, so if you could drop me off at home…” Anna says.

“Sure,” Dean answers.

Tense silence fills the car, and Castiel looks out the window and waits for the tension to die down.  It’ll be better when Dean and Anna are separated and have a chance to calm down.

They’ve been short with each other for the past two weeks because Anna had wanted Dean to go with her to meet her family over vacation.  But Christmas is the only time of year when Mr. Winchester is guaranteed to return home and spend time with Sam and Dean, so it is completely understandable and not at all surprising that Dean would choose to stay in Lawrence.

Castiel had attempted to explain this to Anna, and while she claimed to understand, she also said that her parents were giving her pressure.  They wanted— _still_ want, actually—to meet the man Anna’s been dating for almost two years, especially now that she’s opted to stay so far away from home for him.

The suggested compromise, which has yet to be agreed upon, is that Dean will go to California in the summer after graduation, and Anna will take a week off work to go with him, so that her parents will know who he is.  Of course, Dean’s against this plan because he’s never been the type for commitment, and it’s become clear to Castiel that Dean is uncomfortable with the idea of meeting Anna’s parents.

“Y’know, for what it’s worth, I didn’t see Gordon do anything bad,” Jess says, breaking the silence.

Sam groans.  “You’re not supposed to bring it up.”

Meanwhile, Anna’s saying, “Then you just missed it.  He definitely—”

“Anna, stop it,” Dean cuts her off.  “Just admit that you’re still mad at me, and—”

“You self-centered, blind idiot.  Not _everything_ is about you, okay?” Anna shoots back.

Beside him, Castiel hears Sam mutter, “Shouldn’t have let her sit up front.”

“I don’t like him because he’s a homophobe, not because he’s your friend,” Anna finishes.

“Gordon’s a good guy, all right?” Dean says.

“Fine.  He’s a ‘good guy’ who just _happens_ to hate gay people.”

“Cas,” Dean says.

Castiel looks up, meets Dean’s eyes in the rearview mirror for a moment.  “Eyes on the road,” he chides.

Dean obediently turns his eyes back to the road as he says, “Did you see Gordon lookin’ at you funny?”

“Please don’t pull me into this argument,” Castiel replies.

“Oh come on, Cas!  You’re supposed to have my back, man.”

“Not against me, he isn’t,” Anna counters.

And that’s just it, isn’t it?  Castiel considers both of them to be his closest friends, and he doesn’t ever want to have to choose between them.  As much as he’d thought about them breaking up earlier on in their relationship, he always knew that he wouldn’t enjoy it a bit, because he’d inevitably end up having to take part in one argument or another, and he knows he wouldn’t be able to side with one of his friends without feeling guilty toward the other.

Then the car is slowing to a stop in front of Anna’s apartment.

“I’ll see you guys later,” Anna says.  She leans in to give Dean a quick, perfunctory peck on the cheek before sliding out of the car and walking toward the gate.

“Okay, then,” Sam says as the car starts moving again.  “Where to now?  And can we please go someplace where the main course isn’t burgers, this time?”

“Hey, I have to put up with rabbit food on your birthday, so you’ve gotta suck it up and eat real food on my birthday.”

Sam shrugs and bumps his shoulder against Castiel’s.  “Worth a try,” he says.

Castiel returns his smile because Sam really is an amazing brother, knows exactly what to say to ease Dean’s stress.  Already, Dean is leaning back in his seat, posture much more relaxed than before, and Castiel figures it won’t take too much longer for Dean and Anna to get over this little bump in the road.

* * *

“Dean.”

“Hey, Gordon,” Dean says, looking over as Gordon takes his seat.  “How’d you like the movie?”

“Oh, it was good.  Lots o’ blood and violence—just my type o’ movie, to be honest.”

“Yeah, I hear you.”  Up front, Professor Heyerdahl is walking into the room and taking out his notes, but Dean still wants to talk, is itching to prove that Anna’s wrong about his friend, so he says, “Hey, listen.  I was wondering, what’d you think of my friends, when you met them last night?”

Gordon glances at Dean.  “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious.”

Gordon looks at Dean for a little while longer before speaking up again.  “I wasn’t gonna say anything, but since you brought it up…” he licks his lips.  “Why are you associating yourself with… with their type?”

Dean starts to get a sinking feeling in his chest.  “Their type?  What do you mean by that?”

“Those two guys—Sam and… Cas, was it?”

“Yeah, Cas.”

“I don’t get why you’d wanna be around them.  Don’t they make you uncomfortable?”

“What’s wrong with them?” Dean says defensively.

“Well, they’re gay,” Gordon answers.  Dean just stares at him, because fuck, Anna was right, and they were fighting over nothing.  When Dean doesn’t answer immediately, Gordon frowns and says, “Dean, I’m surprised at you.  You’re a good man, you know what’s right and what’s not.  So why are you hangin’ out with the likes o’ them?”

Dean opens his mouth to answer, but the professor is calling for order, and he waits for the class to quiet down a bit.  Then the lecture starts, and Dean leans toward Gordon.

“Sam’s my brother.  I’d be around him no matter what,” he whispers.

“Oh, wow.  I’m sorry,” Gordon whispers back, as though it’s something tragic.

This only makes Dean angry.  “There is nothing wrong with being gay,” he mutters.

Gordon stares at him, eyes narrowed.  “Please tell me you’re joking.”  When Dean only lifts one eyebrow in response, Gordon shakes his head.  “Unbelievable.  It’s not right, being gay.  Homosexuality goes against everything—science, religion, no matter what you believe in, it’s not right.  It’s not _natural_.”

Dean’s glaring at his friend—not his friend, not anymore—by the time he finishes.  “Right, because _you’re_ the best judge of that.  Who are you to say what’s natural and what’s not, hmm?”

“Are you—you’re serious about this.  Well, it seems I’ve totally misjudged you.”

“ _You’ve_ misjudged _me?_   You’re the homophobic dick, not me.”

“Excuse me,” a voice says from the front of the room, and Dean realizes that shit, he wasn’t exactly whispering anymore.  “Do you have something to share with the class, Mr.…?”

Dean clears his throat.  “Uh, Winchester.”

“Winchester,” Heyerdahl repeats.  “Well?”

“I’ve got nothing,” Dean answers.

Heyerdahl stares at him for a moment before saying, “See me after lecture.”

The lecture resumes, and when Dean looks over, Gordon has this unbearably smug look on his face.  But he’s paying attention and taking notes, and Dean lets it slide.  Damn it, he’s gonna have to go and apologize to Anna.

* * *

Just under an hour later, as the lecture hall starts emptying out, Dean makes his way to the front.  He’d considered just slipping out, but when he glanced up, Heyerdahl was looking right at him, the freak, so Dean figured it’d be safest to just go up to him and deal with it.  Gordon muttered something about faggots under his breath and then scurried away before Dean could clock him, which really was all for the best, because Dean didn’t exactly want to get charged for assault and battery.

“Mr. Winchester,” Heyerdahl says when Dean reaches the front, and his smile is particularly nasty.  Dean wants to wipe it right off his face.  “What was so important that you had to interrupt my class?”

“Nothing.  It won’t happen again.”

“Well, I can’t exactly just take your word for that, now, can I?”

Dean frowns.  “Okay, so what do you want me to do?”

“Hmm…” Heyerdahl hums, looking Dean up and down, and Dean really, _really_ doesn’t like the predatory gleam in his eyes.  “We’ll have to see about that, won’t we?”

Heyerdahl takes a step closer, and when Dean looks around the room, he notes that it’s completely empty, now.  Then the professor’s hand is closing around Dean’s wrist, and he starts to jerk his arm back, only to find that he can’t—the skinny professor is freakishly strong.

Dean’s eyes widen, and his thoughts must show on his face, because Heyerdahl tuts and says, “Now, now, Mr. Winchester, let’s not—”

The classroom door swings open then, and Heyerdahl instantly releases Dean’s arm, backs up a step to put more distance between them.

“Hello, Professor,” a familiar, gravelly voice says, and Dean turns to see Cas standing in the doorway.

“Oh, Castiel.  Hello—it’s always nice to see you,” Heyerdahl says, though the look on his face says the exact opposite.  “Why are you here?”

Dean is itching to walk over to Cas, but he doesn’t know what’s going on here.  Thankfully, Cas solves the problem by entering the classroom, a stack of papers in his hand.

“I was hoping to catch you before you left,” Cas answers as he reaches them.  He’s a solid presence at Dean’s side, his shoulder brushing against Dean’s, and Dean instantly feels better.

“Oh—thank you,” Heyerdahl says, taking the papers from Cas.  Dean recognizes them as the math homework that Cas was grading last night.  “You didn’t have to deliver them personally.”

Cas’s lips quirk into a small smile, but when Dean really looks at him, he sees that Cas’s eyes are hard, focused, challenging.  “I finished them early, so I thought I’d get them off my hands.”

“Efficient.  I appreciate that.  If only all students were as diligent as you are,” Heyerdahl says, and he’s returning Cas’s stare evenly.  But no one, not even a seasoned professor, can best Cas’s brand of stare, so he’s the first to turn away.  “Well, then.  I’d better go.”  He turns his gaze on Dean.  “Mr. Winchester, I will see you back in class, bright and early, Monday morning.”

“Yeah, great,” Dean says.

Heyerdahl picks up his bag and leaves the room.  Dean and Cas wait about a minute before heading for the door.

“That was some pretty nice timing, Cas.”

“You’re welcome.  What did you do to catch the professor’s attention?” Cas asks.

“Nothing.”  Cas raises his eyebrows, and Dean says, “Okay, so I might’ve interrupted his lecture a little.”

Cas frowns.  “Heyerdahl is a professor you shouldn’t irritate.  Even his lower division classes are brutal.”

“What, are you hinting that I should switch sections?” Dean asks.  He holds the door open for Cas, letting him step outside first.

“Everything okay?” a girl’s voice says as Dean exits the room.  There’s a blonde standing in the hallway, looking between him and Cas, and Dean frowns—he doesn’t recognize her.

“Yes, everything’s fine,” Cas answers.  “Thank you.”

“Friend o’ yours?” Dean asks.  The girl’s pretty, with large, hazel-green eyes and small facial features.  Dean doesn’t think he’s seen her before.

“Wow,” she says before Cas can answer.  “You don’t even recognize me, do you?”

“Uh…”

“Rachel, please—” Cas starts.

“We met a few times before,” the girl—Rachel—says.

“We have?” Dean says, trying to remember her face.

“To be fair, Dean was intoxicated the few times that you met,” Cas says.

And well, that explains it.  Dean can usually remember events, or the things he did as long as he’s not too smashed, but he’s awful at remembering people.

Rachel huffs.  “Well, it wouldn’t hurt to show a little gratitude.  How do you think Cas knew to come get you, hm?”

“What?” Dean says.

“I received Rachel’s text message toward the beginning of your lecture and finished grading early so that I could return the assignments to Heyerdahl in time to catch you,” Cas explains.

“Oh.  Wow—uh, thanks, then,” Dean says.  So apparently Rachel’s in his class, too.

“Yeah, whatever,” Rachel says.  “If I were you, I’d switch out now.  It’s only been a week, and you really don’t wanna start off on the wrong foot with Heyerdahl.”

“Dude.  Is he really that bad?” Dean asks.  “It’s not like he can actually _do_ anything to me.”

“That’s what you think,” Rachel says ominously.  Without explaining herself, she turns to Cas.  “I’ll see you later, then?”

“Yes.  Thank you, Rachel.”

Dean watches her walk away before saying, “You really think I should switch sections, just for this?”  Cas only nods in response.  “So I should be scared of this guy.”

“Are you trying to say that you weren’t scared earlier?”

“Dude, I had it all under control.”

Cas smiles indulgently, and that look would piss Dean off on anyone else’s face, but not Cas’s.  “Of course you did,” he says.  “Just transfer, okay?  Ferris is a better professor, anyway.  She’s more fair.”

Dean sighs.  “I really don’t wanna have class from four to five.”

“Well, no one told you to interrupt Heyerdahl’s class.  What exactly did you do?”

“I was talking.”

“You couldn’t whisper?”

“I got worked up, okay?” Dean says.  Cas stares at him, and Dean waits expectantly for Cas to ask what he was talking about, or who he was talking to.

But instead, when Cas opens his mouth, what comes out is, “Gordon?”

“How’d—you sure you don’t have some freaky mind-reading mojo you’re not telling me about?”

Cas rolls his eyes, and Dean decides that he’s been hanging out with Jo way too often because rolling eyes is just not a thing that Cas does.  “You just came out of a Mechanical Engineering course.  Gordon’s taking it with you.  You fought with Anna about him last night.  Naturally, you’d try to prove yourself right this morning.”

“Naturally,” Dean repeats.  “So how’d you know that I would get worked up over that?”

“I guessed.”

Dean narrows his eyes, because the surety in Cas’s voice slipped a little—Cas has never been the best liar, and he especially sucks at lying to the people he cares about, like Dean or Anna.  Dean sighs.  “You knew, didn’t you?  Last night, you knew that Anna was right.”  Cas just looks guilty.  “You know, you could’ve said so.”

“You were angry.  You would’ve seen me taking Anna’s side, and that’s it.  It’s impossible to make you see reason when you’re upset.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“I’m glad you appreciate my honesty,” Cas says, deadpan, and Dean laughs.

“All right, c’mon.  Let me buy you lunch or something.”

“There’s no need.  I’m not hungry.”

“Well, you came all the way out here, and you don’t even have class ‘til three.”

“I was planning to go to the library,” Cas says.

“Nope, you’re coming with me,” Dean says, throwing an arm around Cas’s shoulders and starting to walk away from the classroom.  Cas drags his feet a little, because the library’s in the opposite direction.  “Oh, come on.  At least until my next class.”

Dean’s next class, which is in an hour, is a Greek classics course that he hates.  Thankfully, it only meets once a week for two hours.  Sucks that it’s gotta be on a Friday, though.

Finally, Cas gives in, says, “Very well,” and allows Dean to steer him down the hall.


End file.
